1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal, and more particularly to a portable terminal having a camera lens assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, portable terminals refer to electronic appliances allowing users to make wire/wireless communication with other terminals or base stations while carrying the portable terminals. Such portable terminals may include, among other things, cellular phones and PDAs. In addition, a main frame, a keyboard, a mouse, and a monitor of a personal computer may be classified as a terminal, even though they are not portable appliances.
As wireless communication has been developed, telephone communication has evolved from conventional wired telephones to wireless communication terminals, and now many features are offered including features such as wireless paging services and wireless character transfer or text messaging services. Most portable terminals now sold provide multi-media services, such as image communication services and moving picture transfer services, so that camera assemblies are now provided in such portable terminals, as standard features.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portable terminal 10 having a conventional camera assembly. As shown in FIG. 1, the portable terminal 10 is a folder-type terminal including a body 11 and a folder 21 rotatably coupled to the body 11.
Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, a key pad and a signal transmitting section are provided in a front surface of the body 11 and a display unit and a signal receiving section are provided in the folder 21 in opposition to the front surface of the body 11. When the folder 21 is folded with regard to the body 11 as shown in FIG. 1, the portable terminal 10 is maintained in a call wait mode. In addition, when the folder 21 is rotatably moved away from the body 11, the mode of the portable terminal 10 is changed into a communication mode. At this time, a user can input data by using the key pad provided in the body 11 while observing an operational state of the portable terminal 10 through the display unit.
The camera lens assembly is accommodated in the body 11 of the portable terminal 11 in such a manner that an exposure window 23 is disposed at a rear portion of the camera lens assembly. A battery pack 13 is installed at a rear surface of the body 11 and an antenna 19 is provided at an upper end of the body 11.
Such a conventional camera lens assembly of the portable terminal may include a stationary camera lens having an exposure window installed at an outer surface of the folder or at an outer portion of the body so that photography may be carried out at only one camera angle, or a rotary camera lens rotatably installed at a side or an upper end of the portable terminal so that photography may be carried out at various camera angles.
The camera lens assembly shown in FIG. 1 includes the stationary camera lens installed in the body 11 such that the exposure window 23 is positioned at a rear upper portion of the body 11. In order to take a photograph by using this type of camera lens assembly, the user must open the folder 21 and set a photographing menu by using the key pad of the body 11.
However, although the stationary camera lens offers protection against external impact because the stationary camera lens is recessed into the portable terminal, the stationary camera lens cannot photograph a subject at various camera angles since the stationary camera lens is fixedly installed in the portable terminal. In contrast, the rotary camera lens is installed in a lens housing which is separate from and rotatably coupled to a side or an upper portion of the portable terminal. As such, the rotary camera lens can photograph a subject at various camera angles. However, the lens housing in which the rotary lens is installed is exposed to the exterior of the terminal, so the lens housing may be damaged if external impact is applied thereto.